The Long-Term Mystery
by public static void
Summary: Daphne saw Mr Malfoy brawling like a muggle only to look pleased after the fact. Being an observant girl, she saw him putting something in the littlest Weasley's second-hand cauldron. Being a curious girl, she tried to find out what it was only to stumble into a greater mystery.


**Hey, all :)** This has been on my mind for a long time but I didn't find the right way to start it until last night! Surprisingly, words came out like crazy and the plot is set and ready to go. Like the title implies, this fic will cover a few years of Daphne's life before we get to the romance part, which is the main point of the plot, but enjoy the ride as I'm enjoying writing this :) Updates will be up Tuesdays and Thursdays, except for today, of course ;)

Have a nice reading, and don't forget to share your thoughts on this!

* * *

 **1992**

It was embarrassing, to say the least.

Purebloods should mind their manners, speak with property and always, always have the upper hand over blood traitors and mudbloods. It was clear to Daphne that Draco and his father were not the right kinds of purebloods and she would make sure to tell that her parents (it could avoid an enforced marriage later on).

She had seen the altercation from her spot between a particularly tall pile of books and an old bookcase. Potter and the Weasleys were boring, as usual, until Draco came stomping like he owned the place and with him came Lucius Malfoy, a man Daphne had disliked since she saw him mistreating one of her family's elves at a party.

The difference in the men's political alignment soon became a fist fight, of all things, and she stayed stuck in place, wondering how in hell would Lucius Malfoy allow himself to lose all amounts of decency. Didn't he have a wand? Why resort to a chaotic, undignified muggle-style brawl?

She was ready to smirk and go to her father to share the small bit of information (not gossip, she told herself) when she saw Lucius Malfoy slide something into the youngest Weasley's second-hand cauldron.

It was a book, apparently, and no one else realised he had put it there. That had been his intention all along, Daphne thought and she declared him smart enough in her mind, even if she had chosen another method to achieve that goal. Like, putting a small compulsion charm like the one Mama used when Astoria didn't want to take her potions willingly.

But it was done and she saw Mister Malfoy and Draco vanish among the crowds as the Weasleys and Potter exited in a flurry of downcast robes and red hair and cheeks (and ears).

Daphne stayed in the bookshop, mentally affirming that it wasn't because of Gilderoy Lockhart, wondering what that book could be. It couldn't be magical, or an heirloom, because the self-proclaimed Lord Malfoy would not give away his family's magical objects. Much less to the youngest Weasley, who looked perpetually cherry red when she eyed Potter.

By the time her mother had her books signed by the handsome book writer, Daphne had made it her mission to find out what the book was, and why had Lucius Malfoy initiated a barbaric brawl to give it to the Weasley girl.

* * *

The last days of summer passed in a breeze and Daphne found herself playing around with Astoria more than she was supposed to. There was still a good part of a Charms essay to finish and she hadn't even skimmed through her new books. Her head of house would be very disappointed, but Daphne didn't want to bother with school assignments right now.

Her sister was happy, as she had missed Daphne the whole past school year, and as September first approached the sisters found themselves not wanting to separate again, even though it would be only for a few months until Yule, then a few more months until Easter came around just to have them wait for a few weeks until another summer came and with it, Daphne.

They spent many days under the sun, playing in the magically-enhanced pond that allowed them to see underwater and play at being mermaids trying to eat sailors and pirates alike. Daphne, at the same time, tried to tell herself that she was too old to be playing like that but she ignored that voice that sounded much like Great Aunt Hilaria and instead resolved to enjoy herself.

It would not be too long before her parents announced to society that she would be available for the heirs and sons of mighty lines to court and betroth. She was half scared and half excited. Her parents had liked each other before the marriage announcement, as had both sets of grandparents and Daphne's older brother, Cecil.

She let those worries out of her mind and focused on the last days with Astoria. They had tea parties with Astoria's friends Flora and Hestia Carrow, Meredith Bulstrode and little Marianne Fay. Daphne helped her sister with her sewing and between the two of them managed to make her mother a new simple skirt of teal-coloured silks. The two also spent time with their father, learning from him how to play the grand piano and how to vocalise. It was a good summer and Daphne had almost forgotten the mysterious book.

Then, it was time to go back to Hogwarts.

* * *

The train ride was uneventful and even though Daphne got a glimpse of Little Red, she neither spoke to her or get near her. Potter and the other Weasley could be close and she didn't want trouble with them (and they conjured trouble out of thin air, like a very advanced Transfiguration spell). So, Daphne sat with Pansy, Millicent, Tracey and Lily, listening to all their summer stories and sharing some of their own.

It wasn't until a Hogsmeade had come into view and the train slowed down to a halt that Daphne learned from Millicent's younger brother, Maurice, that the Hogwarts Express hadn't been honoured with Potter's presence.

She really should have gone to Little Red when she could.

Either way, Daphne had a whole year to find out about the book and that meant she could enjoy that night. Last year, she had been nervous about her sorting (she had really wanted to get into Ravenclaw) and didn't enjoy the first night in Hogwarts as much as she was doing this year. The floating candles had been there during Halloween and the End of the Year Feast, but it was not the same to see them now. She loved the dark ceiling filled with twinkling stars that shone like Astoria's eyes when Daphne promised candy.

All around her, everyone was happy. Even Draco was willingly talking to Maurice, who was intent on asking everything one needed to know to be on top of their year.

"Too bad Draco isn't the top," Millicent whispered in Daphne's ear and the two of them laughed as Maurice kept on and on, eating the minimum amount of food so he could keep asking Draco (and Blaise and Theo) more about being in Slytherin. One would say that being born in a family such as theirs, Maurice would have found it all too easy.

Herself hadn't, but that was because her mother had been a Ravenclaw and Daphne had dreamed all her life to be one as well. Sandra Rosier was Daphne's example of a good mother, a successful woman, and an all-around wonderful witch.

And Daphne... Daphne wanted to be all that. She wanted to be a good sister to Astoria, a good daughter to her parents, and to make herself stand out as a good witch, maybe creating spells or crafting wands, she still didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up, but the need to be someone great, even if not someone famous, was inherent to her.

"Expelled? Are you sure?"

Daphne hadn't been paying attention to the conversations around her, and was startled to hear that dreaded word: no wizard or witch admitted to Hogwarts ever wanted to be expelled. The smaller schools around the country didn't believe in expelling someone as a disciplinary measure, but Hogwarts did. It was difficult to gain entry, even to purebloods and wealthy families, so no one wanted that opportunity taken away. What's more, no one wanted the shame.

So, when Daphne heard about Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley being on the verge of expulsion, she felt bad for them. Even if it turned alright for them, they would have the stigma of being almost expelled, which was bad for future careers. Though perhaps that would not affect The Boy Who Lived as it would affect someone else. Like Ron Weasley, the poor boy from the wrong sort of family who didn't even manage to eat properly.

Daphne felt pity for the boy, and thinking of him returned her thoughts to the Little Red and the mysterious book.

She eyed the Gryffindor Table, easily identifying the redheaded girl amidst the sea of dark and blond heads. She had quill and ink nearby and was writing in a journal. Could that be the same book Lucius Malfoy put on her cauldron?

Soon, the Feast was over and she could not keep up with her observances of the Weasley girl. Resolving to see what the new school year brought before committing herself to an in-depth investigation, Daphne waved away the issue of Weasley and the book and followed her friends to the dungeons.

—

The Common Room was slightly different this year. Some of the tapestries hung on the walls had been changed and replaced with others, and the furniture was arranged in a more open way. In all, the Common Room gained an airy atmosphere in spite of being underground and underwater, and Daphne liked it.

She didn't stay up longer, though. The day had been exciting and as such, she found herself tired.

This year she shared the dormitory with just Pansy, as Tracey, Millicent and Lily had gotten another room for themselves.

She and Pansy were not close friends, though they were friendly with each other as they should (because they were Slytherins, and if no one wanted them around, they would make their own little society), and thus they chose to go to sleep without exchanging pleasantries or gossip.

Daphne liked this arrangement and found comfort in the silence the same way she found it in Astoria's laugh and Mother's voice. It was nice to be on her own, even if only to sleep because the days at Hogwarts could be tiresome and more so the first day.

She went to sleep with only one thought in her mind and that was to have a good night sleep so she could have a great day tomorrow.


End file.
